I Was Taken by Albania: Now It’s Your Turn

The Albanian Ministry of Tourism recently launched a new campaign aimed at increasing the number of visitors to this very misunderstood, yet magical country. ❤️

Theth, Albania

The campaign called, “Be Taken By Albania” intentionally pokes fun at the Hollywood film, Taken, staring Liam Nesson, which gives the impression that Albania is a nationwide mafia.

courtesy of Google

As the campaign states, instead of being physically taken as a kidnapper here, you’re more likely to be taken by the country’s overwhelming natural beauty, the friendliness of the locals, and the richness of the traditional customs. As a female traveler who’s just finished backpacking this country solo, I could not agree more with this humorous message they’ve sent to Liam. Just take a look and see for yourself! 😂

As you can see, you have nothing to fear here. In Albania, the priorities are guest and God.🧡

the grandma at my hostel who made fresh jam and rakija for everyone to enjoy

They welcome you into their home with rakija (plum brandy) and homemade meals, or give you local plants when your feeling ill. 💜

the Albanian grandpa at my Airbnb who searched for local plants to brew me a tea when I was feeling sickmountain medicine

They pick you up on the side of the road when you can’t walk anymore in the heat, and they won’t just give you directions to a place, they’ll personally walk you there to make sure that you don’t get lost. 🚗

hitchhiking with a family in Theth

During my time in Albania, I was taken by its majestic mountains, miles of endless coastline, and mythical medieval towns. 🏖️

Theth National ParkSarandaBerat a.k.a The Town of a Thousand Windows

I was taken by its hearty regional cuisine and heartbroken by its equally heavy history.

I was taken by each and every one of my encounters with locals that showed me true generosity and concern. 💙

this guy drove me to the bus stop, so I didn’t have to walk in the heat

Simply put, unless you’re worried about getting beaten in a game of chess here, you really have nothing to fear. 😂♟️

Chess is serious business here.

In the end, I was taken by Albania: now it’s your turn. 😉

During my time in Albania, I visited the following locations: Shkodra and neighboring Theth National Park, the capital of Tirana, the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Berat and Gjirokaster, and the beach town of Saranda in the south. Here are the highlights, fun facts, good eats, traveling tips, and hiccups I encountered along the way! 😊

map of Albania courtesy of Google images

Side note: Most cities in Albania have two names, one with and one without the letter ë. Albanian is also not Slavic. For example, to say hello here is ‘Përshëndetje’. I opted just to wave instead! Hah! To make things more confusing, Albanians actually call their country by a different name. It’s called Shqipërisë. You can even see it written on their currency.

Traveling tip: Most stores in Albania will accept Euro or Leke.

Shkodra and Theth National Park

Shkodra or Shkodër was my intro to Albania and it couldn’t have left me with a better first impression!🦋

kids playing on the carousel near the park

It’s the fourth largest city here, but it’s surrounded by rural countryside, so you’ll see lots of farmers and rustic traditions intertwined with the urban environment. Things like donkeys and goats in the streets, or street corn being sold out of a wheel barrel. 🌽

The streets are lively as well, with people selling everything from produce to instruments on the sidewalk. 🎸

This is a çifteli, a traditional string instrument.

Side note: Some of my favorite moments in Albania were driving and listening to folk music. 🎵

The older generation is also very active here. Everyone dresses well, rides bicycles around the town, and can be found congregating at the local cafes for a smoke and a coffee. ☕

I loved walking the streets to notice local customs, like Turkish eyes to ward off evil spirits. 👹

My hostel in Shkodra only added to the charm. Green Garden Hostel was located on the outskirts of town, but offered a very tranquil environment surrounded by fruit trees, farm cats and turtles. 🐢

As a bonus, it was only 9 USD per night with breakfast included!

Side note: The cuisine is also much more vegetarian friendly in Albania. They serve lots of grilled or stuffed vegetables with rice and yogurt.

stuffed squash, eggplant, and pepper with a dill yogurt

Fun fact/traveling tip: In Albania, citizens in cities with stoplights have to pay an extra tax, so places like Shkodra don’t even have a traffic system. They do have crosswalks, but it’s honestly like a game of Frogger, so just be patient as a pedestrian and aware of all the cars around you. 🚗

From Shkodra, I traveled to Theth National Park. To get there, I took a shuttle arranged from my hostel for 11 USD. The journey took 3 hours on a combination of paved and gravel roads with scenic views the whole way through. 😍

And some hilarious views too! 😂

While in Theth, I stayed in a quaint mountain home owned by this retired Albanian couple. 😍

I found it on Airbnb for about 15 USD per night including breakfast. It had lots of traditional decor and rustic charm.

warding off evil with these catchers

Although it was lovely guesthouse, the location was not ideal. It was about a 1.5-hour walk to the city center, so I’d definitely recommend something more centrally located. 😮

Although the walk was long, I did find a hidden waterfall on the way and some moo moos to keep me company.🐄

As an alternative option, I’d suggest something like Shpella Guesthouse.

They had good food, spoke decent English, and they were well-located near the old church. ⛪

For a tourist town, I also found it quite unincorporated. Sure, there was a map of trails and a few restaurants, but the tourist office was abandoned and directions of where to go and what to see was practically non-existent. 🤷‍♀️

modern, yet abandoned visitor center

As such, in order to avoid the stress of getting lost or not knowing where to go, I’d recommend downloading Maps.me or Guru Maps before arrival. These offline maps will help you be better able to enjoy the beauty and wonder that is Theth. In this remote village, you’re surrounded by the Dinaric Alps, rushing rivers, cornfields, old stone farm houses, grazing sheep, and wild horses. This village is so isolated, that you really feel transported back to a different time. 🐎

Optional Extra: While in Theth, you can go on numerous hikes, including one which leads to this crystal spring called the Blue Eye. Alternatively, you can take a 9-hour hike to Valbona from Theth, and then take a ferry across Lake Komani. This hike actually used to be part of an old caravan route.

the trail extending up the mountainside

People say the trail is easy to navigate by following these painted markers on the trees, but I get lost inside a paper bag, so I opted out. 😂

As another option, if you just want to see Lake Komani, you can also take a bus from Shkodra. Round-trip bus and ferry tickets are about 25 USD.

Lake Komani courtesy of Google images

Tirana

Tirana is the colorful capital of Albania with the central hub being Skanderbeg Square.

Skanderbeg, as seen on horseback, rebelled against the Ottoman invasion

Here’s the National Museum with almost 5,000 historical artifacts dating back to ancient times. The mural was actually created during the communist era, which gives the illusion of gender equality.

Now, to learn more about this recent history of rigid communist rule, I took a free walking tour.

Our guide explained how Albania was ruled for four decades by a dictator, Enver Hoxha, (pronounced ‘Ho-ja’) whose iron fist made him one of the strictest leaders in European history. People were banned from practicing religion, owning private property, or traveling outside the country. Simple things like growing a beard or listening to foreign music could land you and your entire family in jail. There was no escape.

This tyrant even declared Stalin, Tito, and Mao’s regime not communist enough, and isolated his entire country off from the rest of the world! 😲 At one point, the country was trying to grow all their own food, and people were starving to death.

Here are statues in Tirana of the communist leaders, including Hoxha. The statues weren’t destroyed, but they are behind a building next to a dumpster. Seems about right.

His ego even led him to erect a museum in his honor in which citizens were obligated to visit at least once each year.

Although the place looks like total garbage now, it will hopefully become a youth center in the future. 👍

Fun fact: Bush was one of the only presidents to visit during these dark times, so Albania loves America. They even named a street after him. 🇺🇸

And because he shunned every other country in the world, he was constantly paranoid of an attack. During his reign he built almost 200,000 bunkers across the country using forced labor, including a five-story bunker as his own personal hideout!😲 Finally, after his death in 1985 and the collapse of the Berlin Wall and communism in the 90s, Albania was slowly able to achieve independence. Here’s just one of the bunkers and a segment of the Berlin Wall, which is displayed as a symbol of their freedom.

Anyway, it’s only been 27 years since the end of communism here, but suffice it to say, things have come a long way. Our guide told us how people hadn’t even had simple imports like Coca Cola or bananas until recently. It was so exciting to them that they would put the empty coke can on the shelf like a status symbol, and during my visit, I found bananas everywhere! 🍌

another symbol of freedom

Now, one of the most interesting things I noticed when visiting Tirana was how cheerful the capital now appears. Apparently, the recent prime minister decided to paint the city in vibrant Caribbean colors to liven up everyone’s spirits after so many years of oppression. 🎨

One of the most quirky things were these electrical boxes painted with silly cartoons and symbols of pop culture.

They also have some art installations in town like this metal cloud made by a Japanese artist and this sidewalk, whose concrete circles are supposed to look like a series of musical notes.☁️

They’ve also turned two of the old bunkers into an art gallery, which educates the public about their grim history. On record, 2,000 people were killed and almost 50,000 were sent to prison.

This educational center and memorial is helpful considering the wise words of the writer and Holocaust survivor, Primo Levi.

As well, Enver Hoxha’s house still remains in Tirana. It has not yet be turned into a museum. Maybe the wounds are still too fresh.

Hoxha’s house is in Blloku, an area which was once restricted to only the government elite

What’s ironic though is what now stands in front of this communist leader’s home- a KFC! The ultimate symbol of capitalism. Hah! 🍗

Berat and Gjirokaster

Berat and Gjirokaster are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites which showcase well-preserved Ottoman architecture, but they also have many differences.

Berat

Gjirokastra or Gjirokastër is known as “The City of Stone.” It showcases medieval architecture dating back to Ottoman times and a castle that has been fought over for centuries.

Beneath the castle is even a tunnel that was built as a hideout during the Cold War.

Walking through the streets and in the central bazaar, you’ll find lots of local handicrafts, like pottery, qeleshe (a brimless white cap), lace, woodwork, and local treats, like honey, jam and spices.

They also have preserved homes, which showcase life back in 17th century Albania.

More stuffed animals for protection!

While in Gjirokaster, I stayed in a local’s home for only 9 USD per night. I had my own room and the family even brought me cantaloupe and coffee in the evening to enjoy on their patio.

The local specialty is definitely not cantaloupe though! Hah! Instead, they serve this dish called qifqi, which is rice, egg and dried mint that is often dipped in ajvar, a red pepper sauce.

courtesy of Google

Berat is known as “The City of a Thousand Windows.” It also showcases traditional Ottoman architecture and a medieval castle, but geographically is located near the stunning Tomorr Mountains and along the Osumi River.

In this rural mountain village, you’ll see men hauling donkeys down the streets or fishing in the stream. 🎣

While in Berat, I stayed at Hostel Managalem, which is a renovated historic home full of character and charm. There’s a stone fireplace, wooden decorative accents covered in lace doilies, and the host even showed me how to make authentic Turkish coffee. 💟

In the end, I enjoyed Berat a bit more. I like the natural beauty surrounding the city, plus there were lots of modern shops and homes nearby. It was a nice mix of old and new.

Plus, the views from the castle at sunset were outstanding!

Saranda

Saranda or Sarandë is a resort town along the Albanian Riviera, only a short ferry ride from Corfu, Greece.

The town is laid out on a horseshoe-shaped bay lined with beaches along the Ionian Sea.

To get to Saranda, I took an 8-hour bus from bus station in Tirana. I use the word bus station loosely here, as it’s usually just a designated parking lot or street. 😂

Prices and times are rarely listed (or accurate), so your best bet is to just show up and inquire on arrival. 😕

The road to get there was full of curves, but the views of the coast were absolutely breathtaking! 📷

Wow! 😍

I also spotted some more bunkers along the way! Can you see the one in the distance?

They also make pit stops along the way to pick up snacks and stretch your legs, which makes the ride much more enjoyable.🥤

Now, the Albanian Riviera has many different beach towns, depending on the vibe you’re after. If you want beaches that are a bit more secluded, I’d suggest Himara or Vlora. Saranda on the other hand is much more crowded, but the atmosphere is less party and more family-oriented. You can find nice hotels and lots of condos to rent during your stay.

As well, the local population is still strong here. The men and ladies are still out and about, dressed to impress, and chatting in the streets.

Also, more stuffed animals to ward off evil!

street art of the Albanian flag

While in Saranda, I stayed at Hakuna Matata Hostel, which is actually a condo converted into a hostel. It had an epic coastal view for only 8 USD per night.

They also offered breakfast and the family living there really liked to interact with the guests.

petulla- a fried dough with jam and yogurt

We even had a family movie night with their 5-year-old daughter and son. So fun!

Now, the best thing to do here is to enjoy the water any way possible. 🌊

You can rent water equipment or just chill under a parasol all day long. ☂️

My hostel even had an agreement with Cocktail Dreams Beach Club, where we got complimentary lounge chairs with umbrellas.🍹

For food, you can find fresh seafood, like prawns and octopus, and plenty of Greek salads!And when the sun starts to set, I’d highly recommend heading to the castle! 🏰

It was about an hour walk or 10-minute drive from the city center, but they have a nice on-site restaurant for dinner or drinks, plus ambient music.

Just perfect! 🌅

Anyway, up next I will cross the border from Albania to Macedonia. Stay tuned to hear all about it! Until then! 😊

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Published by Megan G

Qualifications:
- BA International Economics
- AS Veterinary Technology
- CELTA Pass B teaching certification
Hi! My name is Megan. I'm an American expat who loves traveling and teaching ESL abroad. I'm currently pursuing a master's in English linguistics in Barcelona, Spain. I also teach English online to children in China. I previously taught in Thailand, Turkey, and Mexico. Come along and follow me on this ESL Venture! :D
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